The Ten Times Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

Chapter 7
Four Degrees of Action

---

One question that I've received over the years is, “Exactly how 
much
action is
necessary to create success?” Not surprisingly, everyone is looking for the secret
shortcut—and equally unsurprising is the following fact: There are no shortcuts.
The more action you take, the better your chances are of getting a break.
Disciplined, consistent, and persistent actions are more of a determining factor in
the creation of success than any other combination of things. Understanding how
to calculate and then take the right amount of action is more important than your
concept, idea, invention, or business plan.
Most people fail only because they are operating at the wrong degree of action.
To simplify action, we are going to break down your choices into four simple
categories or degrees of action. Your four choices are:
1.
Do nothing.
2.
Retreat.
3.
Take normal levels of action.
4.
Take massive action.
Before I get into describing each of these, it is important to understand that
everyone utilizes all four degrees of action at some time in their lives and
especially in response to different areas of life. For instance, you might use
massive action in your career but then completely retreat when it comes to your
civic duties and responsibilities. Another person might do nothing when it comes
to learning about social media, even retreat from it. Another might only take
normal levels of action when it comes to eating healthy and exercising but then
overexcel (take massive action) when it comes to destructive habits. A person is
obviously going to excel and do best in those areas in which he or she invests the
most attention and takes the most action.
Unfortunately, most people on the planet spend their time in the first through
third degrees: doing nothing, retreating completely, or just operating at normal
levels of activity. The first two degrees of action (do nothing and retreat) are the
basis for failure, and the third degree (normal levels) will only create a normal
existence at best. Only the most successful people hit on very high levels of
action that I refer to as massive. So let's take a look at each of the four degrees to
see what they mean and why you might choose each in a range of situations and
areas of life.